Wearing apparel



A ril 14, 1936. J.'X. GAGNON WEARING APPAREL Filed July 12, 1934 INVENTOR BY MM AZI'ORNZYS Patented Apr. 14, 1936 WEARING APPAREL Joseph X. Gagnon, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Hazelton-De Bevoise Inc., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 12, 1934, Serial No. 734,736

Claims.

This invention is directed to an improvement in wearing apparel, particularly to garments such as girdles, and has for one of its objects the provision of a construction whereby some of the ob- 5 jections present in existing structures are overcome.

In the accompanying drawing where an embodiment oi my invention has been illustrated:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view in part section of one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the front wall of the garment of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the garment I illustrated is a girdle, although it is to be understood that my invention is also applicable to other form-fitting garments. The main portion of the garment is elastic fabric as is customary.

One wall of the garment is provided with a non-elastic fabric panel 3, which is stitched to the main portion of the garment along both sides. This panel as will be seen from the drawing extends from the upper edge 4 of the garment to 25 the lower edge 5.

In the upper part of the panel or insert 3 I provide a vertically extending opening 6, equipped with a separable fastener 1 adapted to be held closed by a locking slide 8, movable vertically of 30 the garment along the fastener. The opening 6 is provided for the purpose of permitting the garment to be drawn up over the hips of the wearer when applying the garment, the opening being closed and lockedwhen the garment is in place by manipulation of the locking slide 8.

Overlying the non-elastic panel 3 is an elastic fabric panel 9, attached along both sides to the main portion of the garment and stitched at its lower edge to the panel 3. At their upper edges the two panels are not stitched together.

In designates a tape or ribbon attached at its upper end to the non-elastic fabric 3, the lower end of the tape passing through the non-elastic 3 and then downwardly to the lower edge of the garment where it is stitched in place. This tape is considerably longer than the garment and intermediate its ends is attached to the locking slide 8, so that by pulling downwardly on the tape the slide 8 can be moved downwardly to 50 unlock the fastener, and by pulling upwardly on the tape the slide can be moved upwardly to close and lock the opening 6.

It will be appreciated that by providing the panel 3 with the opening 6 the garment can be 55 readily applied and removed, the fastening device being adapted to draw the opening 6 closed after the garment is in place. It will be appreciated also that by providing the elastic panel 9, the same being in superimposed relation to the non-elastic panel, fastener and slide, the form 5 fitting and form retaining and confining characteristics of the garment are improved, while at the same time the fastening device 1 and locking slide 8 are concealed from view so as not to be visible through a gown or other garment 10 worn over the girdle. It will be appreciated, furthermore, that the tape [0 is operable from both the bottom and top edge of the garment so as to enable the fastener l to be locked and unlocked when the garment is in place on the user. 15

I have shown the opening 6, fastener I and panel 9 at the front of the garment- It is to be understood that this is not by way of limitation but merely for purposes of illustration, inasmuch as obviously the same might be applied equally 20 as well at the sides or the back of the garment.

What is claimed is:-- 1. A garment of the class described comprising in combination, a separable fastener device adapted to close an opening formed in the garment, a locking slide for said fastener device, a panel of elastic fabric overlying said opening, fastener device and slide, said panel being permanently attached at its opposite edges or sides to the fabric of the garment, and means operable from the upper and lower edges of the garment with said panel in place for actuating said slide to open and. close the fastener.

2. A garment of the class described comprising in combination, a separable fastener device adapted to close an opening formed in the garment, a locking slide for said fastener device, a panel of elastic fabric secured along opposite sides to the garment in position to overlie said opening, fastener device and slide, and means underlying said. panel and operable from the upper and. lower edges of the garment for actuating said slide along the fastener device.

3. A garment of the class described comprising in combination, a separable fastener device adapted to close an opening formed in the garment, a locking slide for said fastening device, a panel of fabric secured along opposite sides of the garment in position to overlie said opening, fastener device and slide, and flexible means between the 50 said panel and the fastener device and attached to the slide for actuating the slide along the fastener.

4. A garment of the class described comprising in combination, a separable fastener device adapted to close an opening formed in a nonelastic wall portion of the garment, a locking slide for said fastener device, an elastic fabric panel secured along its opposite edges to the garment so as to overlie the said non-elastic wall portion of the garment, the fastener and slide, and a tape between the non-elastic wall portion of the garment and said elastic panel attached to said slide and operable from the top and bottom of the garment for moving the locking slide along the fastener to lock and unlock the same.

5. A garment of the class described comprising in combination, a separable fastener device adapted to close an opening formed in a non-elastic wall portion of the garment, a locking slide for said fastener device, an elastic fabric panel secured along its opposite edges and at the bottom to the garment so as to overlie the said nonelastic wall portion, the fastener and slide, and a tape secured to said slide, one end of the tape being attached to said non-elastic wall portion, the other end to the garment adjacent the lower edge thereof, said tape being operable to move the slide along the fastener to lock and unlock the same- JOSEPH X. GAGNON. 

